Machete-wielding ringleader of Leeds child gang spared prison to avoid ruining his university dream, court hears

The teenager was identified from a masked group – some of whom were as young as 14 – all armed with "Rambo-style" knives who demanded the petrified man give up his wallet and phone in Woodhouse Ridge in Meanwood.

The defendant, who cannot be named due to him only being 17, denied involvement but was found guilty of robbery and possession of an offensive weapon after a trial at Leeds Crown Court.

During sentencing this week, Judge Neil Clark said courts are "encouraged" to avoid locking young offenders up, despite it being the second street robbery the boy has committed with a machete.

For that offence, he was given a referral order - a type of community punishment - in December last year.

Following a promising report from the order, stating that the teenager had been doing well at school and wanted to study at university, Judge Clark handed him a youth rehabilitation order with 12 months’ supervision, and a three-month electronic-tag curfew for his latest offences.

He told him: “If I were to sentence you to custody, the opportunity to go to university would be removed from you.

"But you have to understand that this sentence has been passed because of your age.

"You are unlikely to receive a sentence like this in future.

"If you were an adult this would be four or five years’ (custody) straight away.

"Breach this order or offend like this again and I’m absolutely certain you will go into custody.”

Prosecutor Graham O’Sullivan said the robbery took place at around 6pm on December 18, 2020.

The victim was walking to work when he noticed a group of eight young males with their faces partially covered.

They approached him and told him to empty his pockets, each of them pulling out machetes or what he described as “Rambo-style” knives.

One then punched him to his face as they made threats to stab him.

Mr O’Sullivan said: “He was terrified and handed over his property as quickly as he could.”

Half of the group then ran off, but four remained with one punching him to the ground and made threats to kill him.

The defendant then ordered the man to remove his password from his phone, which he struggled to do as his hands were shaking so much.

Several members of the gang were arrested a short time later, and a picture found on a phone showed the boy posing with the machete.

He was also identified by the victim.

Mr O’Sullivan said the victim was so badly affected that he could not sleep, struggled to leave his home and was forced to take two months off work.

He had to undergo therapy, but eventually had to leave the area.

Little mitigation was offered to the court from the teenage boy’s barrister, due to his not-guilty pleas during the trial.

A 14-year-old member of the gang previously pleaded guilty to the robbery and was given a 10-month referral order. A second boy was acquitted of all offences.